Supermarkets: Delivery Services

(asked on 25th January 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of supermarket vehicle fleets on rates of roadside air pollution in the UK.


Answered by
Rachel Maclean Portrait
Rachel Maclean
This question was answered on 29th January 2021

Ministers and officials have periodic meetings with fleet operators about a range of issues. The Government recognises the scope for fleets to be at the vanguard of the transition to zero emission driving, including the newly announced 2030 phase out of new petrol and diesel cars and vans, and we will continue to work with fleet operators towards this. The Government’s £20m Low Emission Freight Trials funded a series of R&D projects aimed at encouraging the widespread introduction of low and zero emission vehicles to UK fleets. Retailers including Sainsbury’s, ASDA, Tesco and John Lewis were all part of this innovation programme.

Data from the government’s national air quality model is used to assess the contribution of emissions from commercial vehicles to total emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter at the roadside. We have not conducted a specific assessment of emissions from supermarket deliveries.

Building on the commitments set out in the WHO-commended Clean Air Strategy (CAS), the Government has introduced air quality measures in the landmark Environment Bill. The CAS sits alongside extensive action that has been taken to reduce harmful emissions from road transport.

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